Latching device.



E. W. VEST.

LATGHING DEVICE.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. so, 1908 91 7,198. Patented Apr,6,1909.

10 1fl-j;

IMIW EUGENE W. VEST, OF MULBERRY GROVE, ILLINOIS.

LATCHING DEVICE.

no. e17,1es.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 6, 1909.

Application filed November 30, 1908. Serial No. 465,441.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE W. Vnsr, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of the town of Mulberry Grove, county of Bond, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Imp-rovements in Latching Devices, of which the following is a speci'lication.

My invention relates to latches for two'- way gates, and is designed to stop and lock automatically in its normal closed position a gate when the same is swung from either side, and to hold the gate in such closed position until released manually so as to be easily opened in either direction when desired. Means are provided also to resist the tendency of the gate to sag, and at the same time relieve the latch devices of the strain incident to the weight of the gate.

l ith these and other objects in view, to be referred to as the description progresses, my invention resides in the structural features, arrangements and combinations of arts hereinafter described and succinctly defined in my annexed claims.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing, wherein a preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated, Figure 1 is a fragmentary view partly in side elevation and partly in section of my invention. Fig. 2 is a front view of the keeper or socket member and the supporting plate therefor, and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of said keeper or socket member.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a bolt, as 1, which may be of any desired construction, the same, as shown, consisting of a stud, formed integral with a plate 2 which is bolted, as shown, or otherwise secured in position.

Reference numeral 3 indicates a keeper of segmental form, rotatably supported on a face plate 4 and provided with opposite curved arms 5 which extend downwardly on opposite sides of the keeper and normally lie slightly above and to the outer side of inclined guides 6 of plate 4, provided to guide bolt 1 into the keeper, whereby bolt 1 in order to enter keeper 3, must engage one of the arms 5, this obviously depending from which way the gate or door is swung, and in passing over the curved upper face thereof swing the keeper until the adjacent side edge thereof lies substantially flush with the upper end portion of the guide 6 on which the bolt 1 is traveling.

In conjunction with this latch mechanism, I provide an independent means for lifting the ate as it moves to a closed position and holding it in at such an elevation that the latching device will be relieved of the load of the gate, this feature being particularly desirable in connection with heavy gates which through the wearing of their hinges, sag, and when closed exert such pressure on the keepers or socket members as to render the operation of turning the same to release the bolts very diliicult. This means comprises an engaging member 7 in the form of a pin or projection which, as now considered is "fixed on the gate, being formed integral with plate 2, and a bearing member or seat 9 provided on face plate'4 directly over the keeper, on which engaging member 7 engages when bolt 1 is engaged in said keeper, see Figs. 1 and 2. Inclined tracks or guides 10 extend downwardly on opposite sides of the bearing member or seat 9.

While keeper 3 can be supported for rotation in any desired manner, I have illustrated a construction which is desirable owing to its simplicity, the same com arising a hollow cylindrical member 11 with t e forward edge of which keeper 8 is formed integral, said member 11 being rotatably supported. in a socket, as shown, of face plate 4 and engaging over a stud 12, through which a bolt 13, having a washer 14, or the like is passed to prevent displacement of both the keeper and the face plate.

Guides 10 consist of the upper edges of ribs 15 projecting from the outer face of face plate 4 and. the lower edge portions of these ribs are suitably formed to provide guides for bolt 1, which are inclined in a relatively reverse direction to the underlying guides 6.

In applying my invention, as to a gate for example, face plate 4 is mounted on the fence post, indicated at 15, and plate 2 on the stile, as 16, of the gate so that bolt 1 will normally engage in keeper 3 and stud 7 engage on its seat 9, in which position bolt 1 is held above the underlying portion of the wall of the keeper, as indicated by broken lines in Fig. 2, so as to by freeing said keeper from the load. of the gate, enable the same to be readily swung by the operator who to release the gate, grasps one of the arms 5 and tion and claims is swings the same upwardly until one free side edge of the keeper lies' substantially flush with the upper edge of the adjacent guide 6. During closing movement of the gate, bolt 1. travels on one of the guides 6, and swings the keeper 8, as previously described, 'enters'the keeper and is locked thereby, as the latte" swings by gravity back to its normal position. As bolt 1 moves from a guide 6, stud 7 moves up to its seat 9 and prevents bolt 1 dropping too far into keeper-S, as hereinbefore set forth.

The term,gate as used in my descrip- V intended to cover doors.

While I have herein shown a form of my invention Which is practical and capable of carrying out the various functions assigned thereto, I reserve the right to make such changes in the details of construction as fall Within the scope of my annexed claims.

Having thus described my invention, What I clailnas new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States of America, is:

1. A late-hing device comprising a rotatable keeper, means arranged above said keeper provlded with a seat, and means supporting a bolt for engagement in said keeper, and provided Wlth a means adapted to en I I 1 l l l l f 1 bolt for engagement gage the seat of said first means simulta neously with the entrance of said bolt into said keeper.

2; A two-Way gate latch comprising a rotatable keeper, serving as a stop and lock, a in said keeper, and means for holding said bolt elevated from said keeper.

3. A tWo-Waygate latch comprising a rotatable keeper, serving as a stop and lock, a bolt for engagement in said keeper, a plate on which. the keeper is mounted, a seat on the said plate, and means engaging the plate for holding the bolt out of engagement with the keeper.

4;. A two-Way gate latch comprising a plate provided with a seat, a rotatable keeper mounted on the plate and serving as a stop and lock, a bolt engaging the keeper, a second'plate carrying the bolt and means en gaging the seat for holding the bolt out of engagement With the keeper.

Signed at Seattle, Washington, this 24th day of November, 1908.

EUGENE W. VESTI.

Witnesses FRANK E. ADAMS, EDWARD W. CnnssMAN. 

